Texas Prepares for Mississippi State Without Manning's Backup Option
The No. 11 Longhorns face the Bulldogs on Saturday as Mississippi State loses its starting quarterback to injury.
By Austin Reed ·
Arch Manning has thrown interceptions in consecutive games, but the No. 11 Texas Longhorns (5-2, 2-2 Southeastern Conference) will not have the option of replacing him when they meet Mississippi State (4-3, 2-3) on Saturday night in Austin. Mississippi State quarterback Kamario Taylor will miss the remainder of the season after injuring his toe in a victory over Missouri; the injury requires surgery.
Texas coach Steve Sarkisian said he does not expect the Bulldogs to reduce the tempo of their offense despite the loss of Taylor. "They may not play at warp speed .. but they're the fastest team we've faced," Sarkisian said. Mississippi State began the season 4-0 and reached No. 16 in the rankings before Taylor was injured.
The Longhorns enter the game having ended a two-game losing streak. Manning threw for three touchdowns in a 34-27 win over Mississippi after consecutive defeats to Oklahoma and Florida prompted questions about his status as starter. Texas led 24-3 at halftime of that game. The result kept Texas in contention within a conference where every team has at least one loss.
Manning has thrown interceptions in each of the last two games, including two against Mississippi, and also lost a fumble on a strip-sack that resulted in a touchdown. Mississippi State's defense allows an average of 28 points per game, and its cornerbacks, Jett Jefferson and Kelley Jones, rank among the Southeastern Conference's best.
Mississippi State coach Jeff Lebby has not named a starter for Saturday. Sophomore walk-on Billy Puckett started a 31-0 loss to LSU and entered the game against Oklahoma in relief of Taylor. Puckett has completed 17 of 24 passes for 154 yards, with one touchdown and one interception. AJ Swann, a fifth-year transfer with 18 career starts at Vanderbilt and Appalachian State, has not played; Lebby said this week that an undisclosed injury had kept Swann out. "He's the healthiest he's been," Lebby said of Swann.
Texas will play without left tackle Trevor Goosby, a preseason All-America selection who is out for the season following knee surgery. Edge rusher Colin Simmons missed last week's game with a high ankle sprain and is listed as doubtful on the mid-week injury report. Simmons has 10 1/2 sacks this season.
The Longhorns rushed for 157 yards from Raleek Brown against Mississippi, the most productive ground effort of the season. Brown gained 47 yards on a carry during the final scoring drive, and Michael Terry added 31 yards on two carries to set up Manning's go-ahead touchdown run.
Texas has scored six points in the third quarter this season. Of the last nine possessions in that period, eight have ended in punts and the ninth ended with a fumble. Manning said, "It's frustrating. We'll get it right, though."
